BHAIRAHAWA, MAY 12
Sixteen coronavirus patients lost their lives in Rupandehi, the headquarters of Lumbini, when the hospitals they were being treated in ran out of oxygen.
Seven patients died at Bhim Hospital of Bhairahawa, five at Butwal's COVID Special Hospital, and four at Bhairahawa's Universal Teaching Hospital.
According to a health worker at Bhim Hospital; the deceased - four men and three women - were aged between 32 and 70.
A 39-year-old man of Lumbini Saskritik Municipality, a 70-year-old man of Omsatiya Rural Municipality, a 58-year-old man of Rohini Rural Municipality, an 85-year-old man of Siyari, two 44-year-old women of Tilottama Municipality, and a 65-yearold woman of Siddhanagar were undergoing treatment at the hospital for COVID-19 with oxygen supplement. According to health workers, they died about 15 minutes after their oxygen ran out.
Yesterday, the hospital had informed the police administration, local and provincial governments, and the federal government about the oxygen shortage it was facing.
"As we didn't get any response in time, patients died one after another due to lack of oxygen," said the hospital's medical superintendent Shakuntala Gupta. "Before beds and medicines, it's oxygen that patients need. How could we save patients in the ICU when we don't have oxygen?" she asked.
As many as 86 COVID patients are undergoing treatment at the hospital.
Four men and one woman who died today when oxygen ran out at Butwal COVID Special Hospital were between 29 and 54 years of age.
A 40-year-old woman of Gaidahawa Rural Municipality and a 32-year-old man of Tilottama Municipality were among the four COV- ID patients who died at Bhairahawa's Universal Teaching Hospital in the past 24 hours due to oxygen shortage. Two of the deceased are yet to be identified.
Meanwhile, the kin of the deceased have blamed the police administration and hospital authorities for the deaths.
Bhim Hospital's Information Officer Narayan Pokharel said attempts were being made to manage oxygen.
Universal Teaching Hospital's Chief Administrative Officer Kamal Dhakal said, "We need up to 700 cylinders of oxygen every day, but supply is way short. Moreover, the number of patients is increasing daily. We could barely manage it today," he said.
At Universal Teaching Hospital, some 180 COVID patients are on oxygen supplement. Most patients there need high flow oxygen supplement.
A version of this article appears in the print on May 13, 2021, of The Himalayan Times.
